Just hours after Boris Johnson announced that he would suspend parliament on Wednesday morning, 200,000 signed a petition online in opposition to the move.
The PM declared that Parliament will be suspended on the second week of September and reconvene on 14 October at the Queens speech, which leaves little time for MPs to make any challenge against a no-deal Brexit.
Those who signed the petition declared: "Parliament must not be prorogued or dissolved unless and until the Article 50 period has been sufficiently extended or the UK’s intention to withdraw from the EU has been cancelled."
The petition entitled ‘Do not prorogue Parliament’ now must be debated by politicians after reaching the 100,000 signatory threshold.
The Queens speech outlines the cyclical schedule for parliament. The PM declared in an interview with pooled TV: “This is a new government with a very exciting agenda”
“We need new legislation, we’ve got to be bringing forward new and important bills and that’s why we’re going to have a Queen’s Speech and we’re going to do it on 14th October.”
The comes amid a schism in parliament on the issue of no-deal.
The leader of the opposition Jeremy Corbyn has come out saying adamantly that he will attempt to block a no-deal Brexit, branding the PM's move "an outrage and a threat to our democracy".
Speaker John Bercow also accused the Johnson of a "constitutional outrage", as reported by The Guardian.
A meeting of opposition party leaders was held on Tuesday, called by Mr Corbyn to find ways to prevent a no-deal.
Mr Corbyn had previously wrote to other leaders that he planned to table a motion of no confidence in the Johnson government, which if successful would see a caretaker government put in place to block no-deal and call a general election.
However Jo Swinson, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said that Corbyn was not capable of bringing over Tory-rebels who would be necessary to see a no-confidence motion pass.
The meeting agreed to prioritise 'legislative' measures to prevent no-deal in place of an early no-confidence motion.
The plan by Johnson to prorogue Parliament also comes as rumours of an early general election to end the parliamentary deadlock begin to circulate.
The government's announcement today makes a confidence motion now certain, a general election more likely and is seen as a positive move by Brexiteers.
— Nigel Farage (@Nigel_Farage) August 28, 2019
The unanswered question is whether Boris Johnson intends to pursue the Withdrawal Agreement.
Boris Johnson wants an election.
— MimiJ (@MimiJ9) August 28, 2019
He knows to #proprogue Parliament will lead to a General Election
This will be Oct 17th or 24th
We’ll find out after this date , if the British public like being run by fascists #Brexit #PeoplesParliament #ToriesOut
Johnson has said however that he will not be calling a general election and there will be “ample time” for parliament to debate Brexit before the 31st October deadline.
